I interviewed Carlos from The PeeChees at Emos on Saturday September 13, 1997.

After reading Carlos' online zine called "La Mala Yerba" I knew I had to go to the show prepared with a handheld recorder so I could interview him. The zine was political and culturally conscious. I arrived early and spotted all of the members of The PeeChees except Carlos. I asked Molly if he was around, she said he was playing a video game. I found him playing Area 51, saving the planet from UFO destruction. I wasn't sure if I should interupt I mean that is serious business! I waited of course for him to save Earth. He ended up ranking in the top 10. (good job!) Afer he fired in his initials we sat down and this is what happened...

OK, so I've read your online zine. Do you think it's reaching the people you want it to reach?
I don't know if it has or yet, people ask me about it all the time because it is 2 1/2 years in the making. At the same time I've had so much happening with my band and with other things, I'm also a salsa dancer. A lot of things have come up in my life that have slowed me down. I don't have alot of time to distribute it, that's why I never print it out. That's why I put it on the web.

Because it's easier that way?
Yeah because I don't have to distribute it. I don't have to make copies. There is a double edged sword- the good news is that it is free to whoever can access it. You can go to a library and print it out. Go to a friend's house, I mean I know every punk knows a rich white kid who has a computer and can print it out for free. The bad news is not everyone has access to a computer. But I'm not rich, I bought a computer. I saved up for it. I personally think everyone should own a computer pretty soon. It's the new medium and either we take over it or they will. Someone is giong to get theri hands all over it and monopolize the whole thing. It's either going to be us or them and it may as well be us.

How can people contribute to it?
People can email me their writings, pictures, recipes, whatever. The whole thing was it's not meant to be strictly political. I feel as being a person of color in the scene everyone goes Carlos... Chicano... politico. People think I'm a political mastermind in some subversive organization and that's not the case at all, you know. I like to play video games (pointing to Area 51). I like to do other things. I don't think it's fair for this scene to think that every minority is political. That is ridiculous. I mean in one way we are all political because we have to deal with all the shit that goes down whether it's proposition 209 in California, the Rodney King beating, or ghettos, we have to deal with it daily. You know in one way music is a political medium but I don't ise it totally as a political medium.

You are, of course, in a position to get out any message that you want to a lot of people.
That's why I do this zine. I thinkk that a lot of people in my position don't do enough they could do more. You are in a position to do something positive. The first issue had my writings. Now, it's all yours. People can contribute any kind of writings that they want and I'll put it up. They will get out of it what they give. I'm just the middle person.

Where were you raised?
I was raised in San Diego, California. I was born in Culiacan, Sinaloa and moved to San Diego, my mom was already there.

How did you get involved in the punk scene?
I am convinced that if I had heard punk when I was 4 years old I would have loved it then, but I didn't. When I was a kid I lived in the projects and listened to hip hop and R&B.